Scheduling Personal Training - A Snap With Proper Software Application

If you're a personal trainer, chances are you rely on accurate scheduling of your training sessions and clients

. In fact, it may be one of the most important components of your operations. Time is a valuable commodity to all of us, but it's even more essential for personal trainers, whose businesses depend on the number of clients they serve each week and the amount of time spent with each individual.

And like the rest of us, keeping up with appointments can be a daunting task. Think about all the personal appointments we have on a weekly basis. Scheduling training appointments further adds to that list and creates a packed calendar, to say the least.

Personal trainers use numerous methods to track their client session dates and times, from the traditional pen and appointment book to online calendars. Depending on the complexity of your business or the number of training sessions you schedule, these may be not sufficient. Additionally, such methods may not provide you the ability to gather and record session notes or offer an easy way to remind clients of upcoming sessions. These are tasks traditionally conducted by a receptionist or office staff, something many personal trainers simply do not have.

This is where scheduling software comes in.

WHAT IS SCHEDULING SOFTWARE?

Scheduling software comes in many forms, from a simple online calendar to complex software costing tens of thousands of dollars to install and monitor. Current economic conditions are forcing businesses to streamline their operations and cut costs at every opportunity. Personal trainers are no exception, which is why their best option is probably a Software As A Service (SaaS) program. These are service providers that offer an application to customers for use as a service on demand. As with most SaaS programs, online scheduling services are typically housed online on a secure server, eliminating the need for Personal trainers to purchase costly components for their computers. Additionally, scheduler services typically offer online accessibility, a convenient feature that allows clients to self-schedule.

WHO'S IT FOR?

The answer is everyone! From personal fitness trainers to business coaches, scheduling software is the perfect fit for every operation that provides training sessions to clients. And it's not just for individual practices. Larger businesses and organizations with many personal trainers can also benefit from online scheduling software.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

Functionality can widely vary among scheduling software providers, but most offer the following standard features:

Client Self-Scheduling. Have you ever booked an appointment online? Your clients can book their training sessions, too, when you offer self-scheduling. Individuals simply access the appointment registration (typically through a Web site), select a date, time and location, and book his or her training session.

Internal Scheduling. This allows personal trainers to book their client sessions themselves, in instances when they do not want to offer self-scheduling. Most programs make this task much easier and efficient than electronic calendars and the traditional pen-and-appointment-book approach.

E-mail and Text Reminders. Do you contact clients to remind them of their upcoming sessions? Unless you have a receptionist or support staff, chances are you probably don't. Many online scheduling software programs feature automatic e-mail and text reminders, a valuable benefit to both you and your clients. Not only will your clients appreciate the "heads-up," but you also could improve your "no-show" rate, which surveys have revealed could drop by 50 percent by using reminders.

Online Payments. Make it easy for your clients to pay for their sessions by offering online payment options. This feature also makes your accounting procedures more efficient by automatically processing their credit card and recording transactions.

Reports. These can be vital to trainers, especially if they rely on them to measure the progress and success of their clients. Some online scheduling software providers offer accurate report-generating functionality.

Record Keeping. Managing your client contact information in an appointment book or spreadsheet can be time-consuming and ineffective. Scheduling software allows trainers to securely maintain and store client information.

Marketing Resources. Since all your client contact information-including addresses and e-mails-are easily accessible, you can use scheduling software to develop a mailing list special offers and newsletters.

COSTS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

As with all products and services, it's important to research the provider before purchasing a service. Conduct an overall assessment of your training business and identify specifically what you want the scheduling software to accomplish. Considering that proper client scheduling can make or break your business, it's imperative that you do your homework early in the process. Considerations include:

Cost. Is the service free and at a cost so low that it raises red flags? Does the service come with a really big price tag? Sometimes, things are too good to be true. Look for providers that offer a free trial of their product to see if it's worth the cost-or if you're really getting what you paid. As the adage goes, "There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Service Agreements. Most of us are hesitant about signing long-term contracts. The software provider may offer several service and payment options. Choose the one the works best for you.

Ease-of-Use. Make sure you and your clients feel comfortable using the software. As a service benefit, you shouldn't have to be a computer programmer to properly use the system.

Support. What type of customer support does the service offer? Can you talk to a real person or does the software direct you to a Q&A page? Depending on your technical expertise, you may need regular support to answer your questions and modify the software. Some companies offer different levels of support to choose from.

Scheduling software helps trainers worldwide better manage their sessions and client information. Not only will it streamline your scheduling procedures, it will free up time to spend with your most valuable asset-your clients.

by: Appointment-Plus

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